Full text of Rob Ford's leave of absence statement

In the wake of the bombshell that dropped tonight in the form of another Rob Ford crack tape, the Mayor has decided to take the leave of absence that many have recommended since initial allegations of substance abuse issues arose over a year ago. Here's the full statement from the Mayor's office. Note well that it makes no specific reference to tonight's revelations, nor does it hint at a timeline for a possible return to office and the campaign trail. Ford is presently still enrolled in the mayoral race.

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Tonight I want to take some time to speak from my heart to the people of Toronto. It's not easy to be vulnerable and this is one of the most difficult times in my life. I have a problem with alcohol, and the choices I have made while under the influence. I have struggled with this for some time.

Today, after taking some time to think about my own well-being, how to best serve the people of Toronto and what is in the best interests of my family, I have decided to take a leave from campaigning and from my duties as Mayor to seek immediate help.

I have tried to deal with these issues by myself over the past year. I know that I need professional help and I am now 100% committed to getting myself right.

I love the people of Toronto, I love being your mayor and I hope you will continue to stand by me.

With the support of my family, friends, professionals and the people of Toronto, I will conquer this.

Please keep me and my family in your prayers during these difficult days ahead.

I just want to say to the people of Toronto that I thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement. I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate it.

He got caught again...no choice but to go to rehab now. In his sisters basement who is also a drug addict! His lunatic base of supporters will still support him.
He needs to get help and just go away. You can't beat drug and alcohol addiction in 30 days. Admit the fact that you are ALSO a crack addict!

Tonight I want to take some time to speak from my heart to the people of Toronto. It's not easy to be vulnerable and this is one of the most difficult times in my life. I have a problem with intelligence, the truth, responsibility and basic levels of competences, and the choices I have made in everything I have touched. I have struggled with this for some time and have now been caught too many times to keep up the lies.

Today, after taking some time to think about my own well-being, how to best serve the people of Toronto and what is in the best interests of my family, I have decided to take a leave from campaigning and from my duties as Mayor to seek immediate help.

I have tried to deal with these issues by myself over the past year and failed utterly while berating those whose who pointed out my mistakes. I finally know that I need professional help and I am now 100% committed to getting myself right.

I love most of the people of Toronto even though I never loved being your mayor, and I hope you will understand that I will never serve in public capacity in anything ever again.

With the support of my family, friends, and many, many professionals, I will conquer this, for a while. I fully understand that I will never again have the support of the people of Toronto, and that is fair given what I have done to this city.

Please keep me and my family in your prayers during these difficult days ahead, assuming you say prayers. If you don't, please don't hate me too much.

I just want to say to the people of Toronto that I thank you for putting up with me all these years. I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate it. And I'm sorry.

Rob Ford, the privilege of being Mayor must have been too much for you. Being entrusted to do what's best for Toronto is a tall order and more than you could handle. Hey, not everyone can take responsibility seriously or mean what they say. You had your chance to model integrity and purpose, but you failed over and over again. Unlike you, a good Mayor chooses to serve the community. As Mayor, the world rightly revolved around you for a while, but you gave little back to the world except notoriety for unfavourable deeds. How many times do your actions have to come back and slap you in the face for you to bow out and stay out of the Mayor's office? Leave the job to someone who truly cares and who is not related to you because enabling seems to run in the family. You criticize Blair for spending money on surveillance, but if you hadn't been such a JERK and had done your job with the high morals becoming of a Mayor, you wouldn't have attracted his attention in the first place! Oh well, I guess accountability is not one of your strengths, either. LEAVE THE JOB TO SOMEONE WHO CARES. Other candidates I've been reading about and some I've met, like Richard Underhill, are motivated by a sense of community and have the brains and integrity to be a great Mayor! Thanks for dragging Toronto through the mud. It's time for Spring cleaning, so take yourself out of the race and stay out. Good luck to you, Mr Ford. I hope you find a cure for being a narcissistic serial bully.

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